[np_storybar title=”Rhetoric and response” link=””]As North Korea pledges to never abandon its nuclear capabilities, the National Post’s Scott Barber looks at the escalating rhetoric coming from the Hermit Kingdom, and the world’s response.

March 7
The U.S. “is set to light the fuse for nuclear war,” said a spokesman for the North Korean foreign ministry after the UN Security Council passes tougher sanctions against North Korea. “[North Korea] will exercise the right to
a preemptive nuclear attack to destroy the strongholds of the aggressors and to defend the supreme interests of the country.”

March 11
The United States and South Korea begin annual “Key Resolve” military exercises. In response, North Korea officially quashes the 1953 armistice which ended the Korean War — an act they have done six times since 1994 — and breaks off a Red Cross communication line with South Korea.

Drilling on an A-20 bomber at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant at Long Beach, California.

Installing one of the four motors on the transport plane at Willow Run.

Installing fixtures and assemblies to a tail fuselage section of a B-17F bomber.

Electrical assembly and installation work.

Doing the finishing touches on the nose section of a B-17F navy bomber.

Of the many types of aircrafts produced at this plant, the most important were the B-17F “Flying Fortress” heavy bomber, the A-20 “Havoc” assault bomber and the C-47 heavy transport plane for transporting troops and cargo to the front.

Mauretania, the largest and fastest ship at the time, holding a speed record of 26.06 knots / 48.26 kmh for 20 years (held the Blue Riband from 1909 to 1929). U.S. banker, J.P Morgan, acquired the massive transatlantic White Star Line (e.g. Titanic), thus his competitors feared that he was trying to monopolize the shipping trade. The Cunard Line wanted to oppose this development and struck a deal with the British Government for building two superliners, the Lusitania and Mauretania. The Government loaned £2,600,000 (£207 million as of 2012) on the condition that the ships could be converted to Armed Merchant Cruisers. This was necessary when Britain declared war on Germany in 1914, but Mauretania was unsuited due to its size and costly fuel consumption. Her sister ship, Lusitiana, was later, in 1915, sunk by a German U-boat. However, Mauretania was able to serve as a hospital ship, treating wounded from the French and British forces, she also carried Canadian and American troops when the U.S. declared war on Germany in 1917.

Photo caption: The gentleman wearing uniform is Mauretania’s first Chief Engineer, John Currie. Here touring the ship with some stakeholders in Liverpool’s Canada Dock, 1909.

Mauretania on her maiden voyage, passing Low Lights at the mouth of the Tyne.

Former White Star Line flagship, Olympic, (left) and Mauretania (right) at Southampton in 1935, awaiting their final voyage. Mauretania left July 1, 1935 for Rosyth, Scotland, where she was scrapped. Many loyal passengers, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, protested against the scrapping in private letters.

Blackstone Group has taken less than four months to raise a record $14.5 billion to buy properties around the globe, the latest sign of the firm’s growing heft amid the increasing popularity of commercial real estate among investors.

If Iran reaches a nuclear deal, Western investors will almost certainly queue up to invest in the country. The first stop for much of that money, at least initially, could be the Tehran Stock Exchange.